Joey Barton slams "stubborn" Jurgen Klopp following Liverpool's recent defeats

Barton: 'Klopp needs his head examining'
© Offside
Joey Barton claims that Jurgen Klopp will not win any silverware with Liverpool if he does not improve the team's defence.

Former Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton has launched a rant against Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

The controversial footballer, who has been critical of the German coach in the past, has claimed that the Reds have no hope of winning silverware unless the system changes.

The Merseyside outfit tried to address their defensive frailties by bringing in Virgil van Dijk from Southampton earlier this month, but problems were still apparent in recent defeats to Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion.

"[Klopp] needs his head examining," Barton told talkSPORT. "He has got no Plan B. He is so stubborn that if Plan A doesn't work, he just continues with Plan A.

"For me, Van Dijk is a good player but if you had seen in him that defence on Saturday, he looked a shambles. You are guilty by association. You could put anyone in that back line [and they would struggle].

"Positionally they are in the wrong spot, attitude-wise they are in the wrong spot. Ten opposition shots on target and nine goals... this is an alleged elite level manager and elite level coach.

"When Liverpool go forward and get it right, they can be mesmerising at times. But they will not win anything while they are defending the way they are are. There were shambolic [against West Brom]. The loss of [Philippe] Coutinho and the defensive vulnerabilities are making teams think 'this Liverpool side is a myth'."

Ahead of Tuesday's match against Huddersfield Town, the Reds sit fourth in the Premier League table.

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Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge in action during his side's Premier League clash with Newcastle United at St James' Park on October 1, 2017
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City25222173185568
2Manchester UnitedMan Utd25165449183153
3Liverpool25148357292850
4Chelsea25155545192650
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs25146549222748
6Arsenal25126746341242
7Burnley259882022-235
8Leicester CityLeicester259793734334
9Everton2587102840-1231
10Bournemouth2577112836-828
11Watford2576123344-1127
12West Ham UnitedWest Ham2569103143-1227
13Crystal Palace2568112338-1526
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2566132335-1224
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2559111834-1624
16Stoke CityStoke2566132550-2524
17Huddersfield TownHuddersfield2566131944-2524
18Southampton25411102536-1123
19Swansea CitySwansea2565141836-1823
20West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom25311111934-1520
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